Good 1992 Vibrations. 13th December. Deeper Celebration of 7 Wild Horses To Love Somebody

 Aaagh. This is one of those weeks that was good in some regards but pretty ordinary in others, let's start with the top ten where of course "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men maintains the number one spot, it's got a decent margin too mostly because "The Day You Went Away" by Wendy Matthews is no longer a challenger stuck at number two. 

In fact it's starting to come under pressure from "Would I Lie to You" by Charles and Eddie which rose to number three, I am kind of surprised and shocked that this of all songs on the chart right now is doing so well but okay?

"Accidently  Kelly Street" by Frente continues its good run rising one spot to number four but there's got competition behind it because the next likely challenger for the top spot comes from...sigh... the frankly overwrought cover of "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston which rose eleven places off it's debut last week to number 5, it's gaining strength on sales. 

All of this pushed "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus back three places to number six while "November Rain" by Guns 'n' Roses held steady at number seven.

"The Best Things in Life are Free" by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson slid a further two places this week to number eight while "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough' by Patty Smyth and Don Henley fell one place to number nine.

Finally "Something Good" by Utah Saints held on for another week at number ten.

Gains

Breaking back into the top twenty is "Jump!" by The Movement which climbed from 23 to 18 while "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" climbed ten places to 33 for The Four Seasons,

Norman & Effie's cover of  "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)" got a ten place boost to 27 while "People Everfday" by Arrested Development climbed eleven to  28.

Re Entries

So I am okay with our two re entries this week because they are "The Last Song" by Elton John at 44 and "What's Wrong with that Girl" by Rick Price at 45. The former being great and the latter being a decent pop song.

Losers

Alright, let's get through these because a chunk of hits lost hard this week as the chart starts bring in the hits of 1993. 

"Do For You" by Euphoria continues it slide down five to 48 while "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix A Lot tumbled seven to 47. 

The bad week for the girl groups continued with "Without You" by Girlfriend sliding from 35 to 43 and "Love How You Love Me" by Teen Queens slipping from 26 to 33. 

Prince and the New Power Generation's "My Name is Prince" just utterly collapsed this week, stumbling from 25 to 41 while "Jump Around" by House of Pain fell six places to 40 and "Don't You Want Me" by Felix fell twelve places to 39. 

"Faith" by The Dukes slipped from 29 to 35 while "Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young hit an eleven place skid to 32 and "Erotica" by Madonna just totally folded down from 15 to 31.

"I Ain't going to eat my Heart Out" by The Divinyls slipped six places to 30 and "Just Another Day" by Jon Secada stumbled from 12 to 19.

Finally former top ten hit "Ain't No Doubt" by Jimmy Nail fell out of the top ten to hit 15 this week.

New Entries

Five new entries this week, let's start with a trend in 1992...A COVER VERSION!

50. “To Love Somebody’ by Michael Bolton

Well it had to happen, I didn’t think I escape 1992 without having to cover a song released or escaped from the studio by Michael Bolton so imagine my despair when I realized he is covering a Bee Gees classic where they have slowed the tempo slightly and turned it into something that would make you think the tape was broken and Michael Bolton is just a really unconvincing presence on the song, Again when the Bees Gees recorded the song, it was an understated emotion filled song that shouldn’t be used by people like Michael Bolton to practice their vocal gymnastics on as it seems Bolton has had a habit of doing to other people’s songs. Time to move on from this trainwreck.

 

49. “Celebration” by Kylie Minogue

Another cover version, this time from Kylie Minogue and she’s covering Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” and you know what? I kind of like this? Kylie is having some fun with this and sure the percussion sounds a little too heavy in this dance pop song but there’s nothing that feels overtly tacked on to the song to make it sound grating but also allows Kylie to make the song her own. Yeah, this isn’t bad, check it out.

 

25. “7” by Prince and the New Power Generation

A third single from the album “Love Symbol’, it features a sample of Lowell Fulsom’s 1967 song “tramp” and weirdly enough this might be the best single from the album thus far, I like the middle eastern sound of this song, there’s an added mysterious element to the song and Prince sounds fantastic, it’s got a driving energy about it as Prince sings about religion and spirituality…I rend to think a song like this can tend to be open to interpretation for the listener but still this is worth checking out!

 

13. “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” by U2

This is the fifth and last single from U2’s 1991 “Achtung Baby” and wow…this is the most indifferent I’ve been on a U2 song in a while! Sure the guitars are loud but I’m not feeling Bono’s vocal delivery here which especially on the bridge and chorus where Bono sounds like he’d rather be doing anything else than singing the hook of a song you can he and the band don’t like. It’s not precisely bad, it’s just not up there with U2’s best this album cycle.

 

11. “Deeper and Deeper” by Madonna

So it wasn’t that long ago that Madonna released “Erotica” as a single and now we’re getting this as a single a couple of weeks later? Hmm, anyway let’s deal with the song at hand and you know what? I think this might be the best single Madonna has released this album cycle! More because it’s closer to the sound she had on songs like “Vogue” and to a lesser degree “Express Yourself” and even if I think they could have turned Madonna up in the mix, the song has a good dancefloor groove here. Yeah, I can be kicking up my heels in a nightclub to this…

 

However best of the week is going to “7” by Prince and the New Power Generation just for bringing something different to the charts. As for the worst…yeah, Michael Bolton is getting it for that unnecessary cover of “To Love Somebody”

ARIA Singles Top Top 50 Top Ten: 13th December. I Am Woman and Hate U so Merry Christmas

 So the influx of Christmas music continued this week but I will say it was unxpectedly interesting especially in the top ten as the bunfight for the final places on the year end continues so let's get to that top ten where "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" by Elton John and Dua Lipa returned to number one thanks to consistency on both sales and streaming. 

It pushed past "Easy on Me" by Adele which slipped back to number two as the hype from the album fades. 

Holding steady are both "Stay" by The Kid Laroi featuring Justin Bieber and 'abcdefu" by Gayle at number four.

Stubbornly refusing to go away is "Heat Waves' by Glass Animals which climbed three places back to number five for some reason.

"Bad Habits" holds firm at number six for Ed Sheeran while "Shivers" tumbled back two places to number seven for Ed Sheeran,

Then we come to the first of the Christmas music breaking into the top ten thanks to "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey rising ten places to number eight and effectively leading the charge of the Christmas music this week. 

"All Too Well (Taylor's Version" by Taylor Swift slipped two places to number nine while "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X feat, Jack Harlow stumbled one place to number ten.

Gains

Let's blow through the Christmas music gains this week, already mentioned the ten place gain to eight for "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" by Michael Buble jumped seven places to 14 while "Last Christmas" by Wham climbed a massive 23 places to 18. 

:As for the non Christmas gains, well, "Without You" by The Kid Laroi feat. Miley Cyrus rebounded 11 places to 33, "Levitating" by Dua Lipa jumped eight to return to the top twenty at 16 and "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat and SZA jumped seven to 15. 

Re entries

Kind of eye rolling at some of these re entries but I think I can pin the blame on streaming services releasing year end stats and people streaming songs that wound up on their personal playlists for these like "Astronaut in the Ocean" by Masked Wolf at 50 and "The Business" by Tiesto at 48. Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" at 37

Christmas re entries

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee is back at 49 and "Santa Tell Me" by Ariana Grande (this song being a Christmas staple cracks me up so hard) at 31. 

Losers

We got a surprising lot of them this week especially in the double digits so w'll focus on those losses this week with "Oh My God" by Adele tumbling eleven places to 21. 

"Better Days" by NEIKED feat. Mae Muller and Polo G slipping ten to 29 (Goodness the hype for this song died quickly)/ 

Unfortunately "Smokin' Out the Window" got stubbed out eighteen places to 32 while "love nwantiti" by Ckay slumped twelve places to 38. "My Universe" by Coldplay feat. BTS slid twelve to 39 and "Overpass Graffiti" by Ed Sheeran got cleaned up seventeen places to 40. 

"Moth to a Flame" by Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd is on the verge of having it's flame extinguished as it slipped another twelve places to 41. 

"Acapulco" by Jason Derulo slithered down eleven to 44 and "Dreams" by Jolyon Petch tumbled thirteen to 47.

Drop Outs

Not really complaining when "Fancy Like" by Walker Hayes, "A Ok" by Tai Verdes and "Out Out" by Joel Corry, Jax Jones and Charli XCX feat Saweetie took their exits taking with them "Mr Brightside" by The Killers and "2055" by Sleepy Hallow.

The only one I'm vaguely disappointed about is "Flowers (Say My Name)" by ArrDee, I did like that one.

The rest of the drop outs are Adele album cuts like "I Drink Wine", "Can I Get It" and "My Little Love".

New Entries

Four new entries this week beginning with 

43. "I Am Woman" by Emmy Meli

Another newcomer to the ARIA singles chart, this time from Californinan Emmy Meli with this song getting attention via TikTok before becoming a thing on streaming...you know the story and well...I am not sure how to feel about this because lyrically the song is a bunch of statements about how she is all these things and there's no denying the passion in the vocals but I am not sure the music backs her up at all here, it doesn't sound as strong or as anthemic as the song is trying to be lyrically, Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" this isn't. I don't hate this but I am not going to remember it either.

27. "Merry Christmas" by Ed Sheeran and Elton John

So really I tend to avoid talking a lot about Christmas songs mostly because they have a prety standard formula but we did get this new song from Ed Sheeran and Elton John and well, it's kind of cute? Sure the song does remind me of "Do They Know It's Christmas" musically but lyrically the song Sheeran and John encouraging people to forget their troubles of the past year for awhile to join in some festive fun but not forgetting those who died this past year too. Yeah, the song is corny but Ed and Elton play into it well. I kind of dig it, check it out if you are curious

26. "Where Are You Now" by Lost Frequencies and Calum Scott

Oh it's about time this song charted word of warning, I am not a fan of Calum Scott, his cover of "Dancing On My Own' by Robyn is one of the worst covers of the 2010s so I was a little worried when this song first appeared on the Australian Spotify top 50 and yeah I'm not feeling this song and I'm not sure why...it sounds appealing enough for a summer song and I do think radio will love but again Calum Scott's vocals do nothing for me here, he sounds lie he has a mouthful of marbles for a lot of the song which is just plain weird when the song is trying to be nostalgic so yeah I am not a fan of this at all. 

19. "I Hate U" by SZA.

It always surprises me when SZA debuts this high on the chart however it's nice to finally get an official new single from her with this song being one that fans demanded she release and well...she delivered even if this song isn't quite as good as "Good Days" but it's still a solid R'n'B track with SZA feeling sexually frustrated and wanting this guy to fuck her already and she definitely sells the frustration in her vocals even if I am not sold on the blocky production. This is pretty good.

However it's not getting best of the week because that's going to "Merry Christmas" by Ed Sheeran and Elton John,...I can't help it...it's cute. Worst of the week is going to "Where Are You Now' by Lost Frequencies feat. Calum Scott, it's not overly terrible but it's the song here that I liked least.

Chart will update on Friday at 5pm AEDST

Good 1992 Vibrations. 6th December. I Don't Know Him Good Enough To Love Him Always but Amigos Para Siempre?

 So we've got the sort of week here that was busy without really causing much to raise a lot of interest, take a look at our top ten for instance where "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men maintains the number one slot and again...there's no real competition coming to dislodge it right now. 

Sure "The Day You Went Away" by Wendy Matthews moved up to number two but that's only likely because 'Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus weakened enough to slip to number three, those sales numbers weren't going to hold it up forever.

Not especially when you look and see "Would I Lie to You?" by Charles & Eddie which continued it's insane climbed up five to number four this week...this could be a player for number with the momentum it's got.

Following right behind it though is "Accidently Kelly Street" by Frente up two places to number five. I'll be curious to see if this one rises higher.

All of this saw "The Best Things in Lifie are Free" by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson forced down two places to number six and "November Rain" by Guns 'n' Roses slid down two places to number seven.

The same went for "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough' by Patty Smyth and Don Henley down to number eight while "Ain't No Doubt" by Jimmy Nail slipped one spot to number nine.

Utah Saints remain steady at number ten...unfortunately...with "Something Good"

Gains

"Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen broke into the top twenty up from 21 to 17 while Toni Pearen's "In Your Room" chart busted it's way up from 36 to 18. 

Sonia Dada will likely have a hit well into 1993 as "You Don't Treat Me No Good" leapt from it's debut of 38 to 22 this week while "Sweet Love" by Company of Strangers climbed nine places to 28. 

"December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" by The Four Seasons climbed seven rungs to 33 while "Jump Around" by House of Pain lived up to it's name climbing from 39 to 34. 

"Taste It" by INXS rose fourteen places to 36.

Re Entries

Three re entries this week with the first of those being "Highway to Hell' by AC/DC which returned at number 44 while "Layla" by Eric Clapton came back at number 46.

Finally "How Do You Do" by Roxette returns at 48.

Losers

Alright so Arrested Development's "Tennessee" is on the way out likely having safely made the yea end list as it tumbled six places to 50. 

Not the case for "Bettadaze" by Boom Crash Opera which crashed six places to 49 and there was a similar cash for "Drive" by R.E.M which slipped from 39 to 47. Euphoria's "Do For You" is losing it's energy as it tumbled from 31 to 43. 

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door" by Guns 'n' Roses slumped from 25 to 41 while "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix A Lot slipped from 27 to 40. "Without You" by Girlfriend collpased nine places to 35 and "Love How You Love Me" by Teen Queens  slipped from 19 to 26. 

New Entries

Four new entries this week, starting with...

42. ‘Good Enough” by Bobby Brown

This song comes from Bobby Brown’s new album “Bobby” and honestly this is just a sex song that lacks any groove or any sign of passion, it doesn’t even sound sexy in the production, it just sounds like Bobby Brown is desperate to get some action. It’s a pretty bang average R’n’B song if I am to be blunt about it, he has done better than this flaccid attempt at a sex jam and that’s really all I have to say about it so let’s just move on

 

38. “I don’t Know how to love him” by Kate Ceberano

So moving away from a song with a severe case of not knowing how to be sexy to Kate Ceberano performing a song from the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” that was originally performed by Yvonne Elliman in May 1970 with Kate’s version during the latest Australian tour of this particular musical being the latest and well, it definitely sounds very 1992 with the piano and the song swelling with Kate’s voice. It’s not better than the more dramatic “Everything’s Alright” with John Farnham and Jon Stevens but given what else there is left in the new entries this week…I’ll take it!

 

37. “Amigos Para siempre (Friends for life)” by Norman & Effie

You have got to be kidding me? We’ve got a cover of the former number one for Jose Carreras and Sarah Brightman from comedians Norman Gunston and Effie Stephanides on the chart this week that was apparently performed on Hey Hey It’s Saturday during the Red Faces segment, there’s not much here worth analysing because it’s two comedians singing rather badly but I’ll give the cover this? It is funny, there’s comedic value here if you are looking for a laugh but otherwise it’s really just Norman Gunston and Effie singing along to a backing track.

 

16. “I will always love you’ by Whitney Houston

What is this? The week of the cover song? Turns out that Whitney Houston is covering Dolly Parton’s 1974 hit “I Will Always Love You” for the soundtrack of The Bodyguard and I’m going to say it right now, Dolly Parton’s version while very understated, is ultimately sincere and heartfelt, Dolly is believable whereas Whitney decides that the hook is a good time to go for vocal gymnastics and gives the song this overpowering and really overwrought interpretation that makes me want to vomit, Whitney, we know you can sing but there’s no need to absolutely rip the understated power of a song like this out just so you can remind everyone of how powerful your voice is because yeah, this cover ain’t it. I’ll stick to Dolly’s version.

 

It’s not the worst of the week though, that’s going to “Good Enough” by Bobby Brown. The best is going to Kate Ceberano for “I Don’t Know How to love him” but this was a rough week for new entries.

ARIA singles top 50 Top Ten/Chart Review: 6th December. Christmas Music and ArrDee's Flowers

A rather busy week that heralded the exit of most of the Adele album bomb and the arrival of Christmas music which we will get too shortly but first, let's get to our top ten where of course "Easy On Me" by Adele holds on to number one for another week as it rules on streaming and doing okay on sales.

Rebounding one place to number two is "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" by Elton John and Dua Lipa because it's pretty much consistent across the board, the same goes for "Stay" by The Kid Laroi feat. Justin Bieber despite slipping one place to number 3.

Now I am hoping this is a novelty because rising thirteen places to number four is 'abcdefu" by GAYLE...this song isn't good...I don't want to see this becoming a hit.

"Shivers" held steady at number five while "Bad Habits" climbed one spot to number six both by Ed Sheeran.

This is most likely because "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor's Swift down five to number seven as interest fades post "Red (Taylor's Version)" being released.

"Heat Waves" by Glass Animals and "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow held steady at numbers eight and nine respectively.

Wrapping up the top ten down four places to number ten is "Oh My God' by Adele.

Gains.

So I mentioned "abcdefu" by Gayle up thirteen to number four already but there have been A LOT of gains (I'm only covering seven places gains plus this week)...mostly older songs regaining ground with "Dreams" by Jolyon Petch rebounding eight to 34, "Acapulco" by Jason Derulo up eleven to 33 and "Missing Piece" by Vance Joy moving up seven to 32.

"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" by Lil Nas X called up seven to 31 while Doja Cat's new single from "Planet Her"...'Woman" climbed seven to 30 (I'm really disappointed because "Woman" is not a good song).

In better news "My Universe" by Coldplay feat. BTS climbed seven to 27, the longer it hangs around the more confident I feel it might make the year end...I really like this one.

Finally "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons was the biggest gain of the week is up 15 to 20 because of course it is...yuck.

Re Entries

"Mr Brightside" by The Killers is back number 50 which is frustrating but fine however I'm not happy that "Out Out" by Joel Corry, Jax Jones, Charli XCX feat. Saweetie is back at 48 or that "Fancy Like" by Walker Hayes returned at 47 or that "A OK" by Tai Verdes returned at 46...none of these three songs are any good...I can only hope the oncoming onslaught of Christmas music pitches them out of the chart PERMANENTLY.

Christmas re entries

I am putting the return of Christmas music into a separate category. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" returns at 18, "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Michael Buble re enters at 35 and "Last Christmas" by Wham returns at number 41.

Losers

ALL the big losers this week came from the Adele album bomb with "Can I Get It" dropping 25 to 40, "My Little Love" to 39 and "I Drink Wine" to 26

Drop Outs

Taylor Swift saw both "Run (Taylor's Version)" feat. Ed Sheeran and "Enchanted' dropping out. The rest of the drop outs were album tracks from Adele's "30" and "Rolling in the Deep"

New Entries

Just the one new entry this week so let's talk about...

49. "Flowers (Say My Name)" by ArrDee

Okay so ArrDee is a British rapper, he rose to prominence on a remix of "Body" by Russ Millions and Tion Wayne with this song being his first solo single to hit the ARIA singles chart and well, I hate this but I like it, yeah, ArrDee is absolutely being an asshole but he makes the song hilarious and fun with some of the more ridiculous lines about not bringing this girl flowers but give her a good time between the sheets instead. The song makes an inspired use of a sample of a UK garage classic by Sweet Female Attitude's "Flowers" and Destiny Child's "Say My Name" with ArrDee being able to juxtapose the songs away from your bog standard love song into a song that is purely about getting sex...yeah this was good fun...check it out.

That wraps up our week, next week might see ourlast blast of the year from major releases likely from Shawn Mendes and SZA but we'll find out when the chart updates on Friday at 5pm. 

 

Good 1992 Vibrations. 29th November. People Everyday making Sweet Love In Your Room

 So we've got a week here with a lot of new entries mostly lower down the chart and a few interesting shifts and moves in the top ten so let's begin there, shall we? "End of The Road" by Boyz II Men has a decent hold on the number one spot now and doesn't look like relinquishing it any time soon.

In fact, I don't see anything that can knock off for number one right now, certainly not "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus stuck at number two as its sales have been falling for sometime. I don't see "The Day You Went Away" by Wendy Matthews regaining one spot to number three challenging either even as it pushed past "The Best Things in Life Are Free" slipped back to number four.

"November Rain" by Guns 'n' Roses continued it's rise this time up one place to number five, it pushed "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" by Patty Smyth and Don Henley back to number six.

Rising three places to number seven is "Accidently Kelly Street" by Frente which is nice to see however down one spot is "Ain't No Doubt" by Jimmy Nail back to number eight.

Then we have two songs spending their first week inside the top ten, the first of them is "Would I Lie to You" by Charles & Eddie which jumped from 13 to nine this week while unfortunately rising one spot to complete the top ten is "Something Good" by Utah Saints because I guess we do need audio torture somewhere in the top ten. 

Gains

Rising eleven places to 15 is "Tequila" by ALT & The Lost Civilization which is a bit of a surprise however what is not a surprise is the twelve place gain for "Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen (I expect this song to be big into 1993 given how huge it has been un the UK).

Unfortunately we have some garbage getting boosts like the six place jump for "Jump!" by The Movement to 24 and "Yesterdays" by Guns 'n' Roses up big off it's debut of 42 to 28.

The Sharps "Spinosity (EP)" rose from its return of 44 to 29.

Re Entries

So we got two re entries this week with the first of them being from Boom Crash Opera at 43 with "Bettadaze". Ratcat are back at 41 with "Holiday"...I don't mind either of them being back either, they aren't bad songs

Losers

So lets start off with "Rock Your Baby" by K.W.S down seven to 48 this week...I am so glad this cover is not taking off....thank goodness for small mercies.

ABBA's "Dancing Queen" collapsed nine spots from 38 to 47 while "Rhythm is a Dancer" by Snap deep sea dived down from 32 to 45 while "Do For You" by Euphoria slithered down from 23 to 31.

"Erotica" by Madonna tumbled five to hit 13 while "White Men Can't Jump" by Riff slipped three places to 12.

New Entries

This is a long week in terms of the new entries, there's eight of them so let's start with...

46. “Scars” by 1927

We’re starting this week with the lead off single from 1927’s self-titled album. Turns out it’s a gentle guitar ballad where he knows he at times frustrates and upsets his partner but knows he couldn’t survive without that partner’s love and support especially at times when the world feels like a dark place, and he’d be counting the cost of losing that love if the loved one left him. It’s fine, could have done without the ‘na na na’ at the end but this is still pretty good, check it out.

 

42. “The Last Song” by Elton John

Okay so the second single from Elton John’s album “The One”, it was written by both Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin with this song released to benefit the AIDS Foundation with Taupin sending Elton the lyrics following the death of Freddie Mercury and yeah I can kind of see why Elton would have trouble singing this because wow, this song cuts DEEP, it tells the story of an father who is estranged from his son and coming to terms with the fact his homosexual son is dying of AIDs over a gorgeous piano arrangement.  I don’t want to say too much more but this song is great. Please check it out.

 

40. “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” by The Four Seasons

Much like “Dancing Queen” a few weeks ago, this is a song making its return to the Australian charts thanks to a remix by Ben Liebrand, it originally peaked at number three on the Kent Music Report charts in 1976 and hit the year end of that year at number 22 and look again the song Is an absolute classic even if I am not personally all that wild about Frankie Valli’s vocals, it’s a fun and kind of silly reminiscent rock song with disco flourishes even if the lyrical content of the song is about remembering the first time a young man had an affair with a young woman so yeah pretty cool song that really has stood the test of time.

 

38. “You Don’t Treat Me No Good” by Sonia Dada

Okay next up is an American soul group calling themselves Sonia Dada with this song being the fist to hit the Australian singles chart and what I will say that this is catchy, that guitar riff that opens the song has some bite to it with the song mourning the fact that this guy has had enough of his lover treating him like shit so he is going to pack his bags and leave especially if the love in the relationship is gone, there’s nothing in the relationship for him anymore. Yeah the production is a bit bare bones but hey, I still dig it.

 

37. “Sweet Love” by Company of Strangers

Second single from this supergroup and honestly I think I like it a bit better than “Motor City (I Get Lost)” mostly due to the fact that the production fits the vocals and doesn’t make the vocals sound as hollow plus James Reyne probably sounds as good as he ever did. It’s a pretty simple song about being in ‘sweet sweet love” and love being all his has, he doesn’t have the luxury goods like cars and jewellery others do. I hope this does well.

 

36. “In Your Room” by Toni Pearen

An actress debuts on the singles top 50 this week in the form of ‘E Street’ actress Toni Pearen with “In Your Room” being the lead single from “Intimate” and really her debut single is pretty much your standard 90s pop song with all the usual pop trimmings and lyrics about getting up close and personal with this guy in his room and Pearen doing her best to sound sexy on the verses. I don’t hate it but I’m also not going to remember it either.

 

35. “People Everyday” by Arrested Development

About time we got a new single from Arrested Development! “Tennessee” has only gotten better since I first heard it so I am curious to see what this new single is like and…I have to be honest I am not digging this one as much and it’s hard to pin down exactly why. It’s got a nice reggae sounding groove and the vocals are pretty good with the lyrics based on real life experiences Speech had while living in Milwaukee. I certainly don’t hate it but it’s something I like or love either which is disappointing, but it happens sometimes.

 

33. “Faith” by The Dukes

Finishing up the week with Australian r’n’b, soul and funk band The Dukes which feature half of Absent Friends that being Sean Kelly, Michael King and John McKay along with Geoffrey Stapleton (formerly of GANGgajang) and Michael Armiger (formerly of Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls and The Go Betweens with “Faith” being the first song to hit the chart, a pretty jaunty song urging the listener to have faith. Yeah, it’s catchy but I have the feeling that I’m going to forget about this song minutes after writing this.

 

By all standards a pretty good week, I’m giving best of the week to “The Last song” by Elton John mostly because that song hit me where it hurt. As for the worst, there’s nothing too terrible this week so I think I’m going to have to go with “Faith” by The Dukes, only because it really seemed like a generic jaunty song. 

ARIA Singles Top 50 Top Ten/ Chart Review: 29th November: Oh My God, abcdefu is the Enemy for My Little Love

 So we have one (likely) final album bomb for 2021 courtesy of Adele's "30" but we also have an assortment of other scattered new entries but firstly to the top ten where the impact of the "30" album bomb was felt right at the top of the chart with "30" with "Easy On Me" by Adele returning to number one courtesy of strength across the board. 

It knocked "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift back to number two, now considering that most of the other songs from "Red (Taylor's Version)" either fell hard or dropped out, it's pretty impressive that this song held on enough to only fall to number two. 

From there though, "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" by Elton John and Dua Lipa remained glued to number three, "Stay" by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber stuck at number four and "Shivers" by Ed Sheeran frozen to number five.

New entry by Adele at number six with "Oh My God". Now we'll talk about the song's quality later but this got here thanks to strong first week streaming however that might ebb back next week

"Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran slipped back to number seven as this song's run is effectively done at this point while 'Heat Waves" by Glass Animals continues to be one hell of an annoying presence in the top ten as it slipped back one place to number eight while "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow remains at number nine.

The second new entry to the top ten comes from Adele with "I Drink Wine" debuting at number ten. Again more about this one in the new entries.

Here's how the top ten would have shaped without the Adele album bomb...

10. "Smokin' Out the Window" by Silk Sonic

9. "Ghost" by Justin Bieber

8. "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow

7. "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals

6. "Shivers" by Ed Sheeran

5. Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran

4. "Stay" by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber

3. "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" by Elton John and Dua Lipa

2. "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

1. "Easy On Me" by Adele

Gains

Hard to imagine we got many gains in an album bomb week but we did get a couple and its a shame it's not on the good side with "Do It To It" by Acraze feat. Cherish breaking into the top twenty up from 23 to 16 while "Acapulco" by Jason Derulo climbed two to 44 because this would probably be bigger if not for the album bombs in recent weeks.,

Re Entries

Three re entries this week beginning with "2055" by Sleepy Hallow at 48, "Without You" by The Kid Laroi feat. Miley Cyrus at 47 and of course "Rolling in the Deep' by Adele at 46.

Losers

So over a half of the chart lost so this week I am only going to deal with songs that lost eight places or more, starting with "Run (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran which fell 30 places to 49 and is one of only two songs from "Red (Taylor's Version)" to still be in the ARIA top 50 in it's second week.

Down ten places is "Moth to a Flame" by Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd to 36...will be interesting to see if it rebounds in the weeks ahead even with Christmas music coming.

"Beggin'" by Maneskin down eight to 28  while "love nwantiti (ah ah ah)" by Ckay slipped eight to 26 and "Happier Than Ever" by Billie Eilish slumped eight places to 24.

Drop Outs

The majority of the drop outs are songs from the "Red (Taylor's Version)" album bomb but we did also lose "Already Dead" by Juice WRLD (I expect to see this back when the album is released), "Leave the Door Open" by Silk Sonic, "Bad Man (Smooth Criminal)" by Polo G, "Knife Talk" by Drake feat. 21 Savage and Project Pat and "A OK" by Tai Verdes.

New Entries

We are in an album bomb situation for Adele's "30" so here's the chart positions of the songs from "30" I won't be reviewing:

"All Night Parking" feat. Erroll Gurner at 33, "Hold On" at 31, "To Be Loved" at 25, "Cry Your Heart Out" at 21, "Strangers By Nature" at 18 and "Can I Get It" at 15.

That leaves us with just six new entries to deal with so let's start with...

50. "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift

So this is an album track from "Speak Now" that went viral on Tik Tok to the point where streaming ensured it would chart and well...its decent...a pop country song where Taylor is infatuated with this guy she has met at this dull party and worrying about whether her feelings for him will be reciprocated toward her by him. It's a solid song from an overall solid Taylor Swift country pop album that being "Speak Now" and it will be interesting which re recorded album will be released next. 

35. "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons feat. J.I.D & League of Legends

So this is somehow a thing on the charts rather than anything from that last Imagine Dragons album, it's a song from the League of Legends animation series and well...I am not a fan of this...there's no real animosity or darkness that comes with having everyone else be your 'enemy" not to mention that dragged out 'enemy' on the hook is just plain annoying. This song could have afforded to sounded bigger and more imposing...something Imagine Dragons are capable of (remember "Radioactive"?) but never do anymore and as a result come off sounding like a mix of AJR and some teenage musical without the drama to make it interesting...next! 

17. "abcdefu" by Gayle

Alright this is a newcomer to the ARIA singles chart, Gayle is a seventeen year old singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee with this being her breakthrough single and well...I hate saying this but...this sucks...I've heard some people compare this song to "Do Re Mi" by Blackbear but I think the closer and more immediate comparison is "Hot Gitl Bummer" where she's telling this guy's friends and family to fuck off but whem you have the vocal ability that sits somewhere between Julia Michaels and Tate McRae, the swearing on the hook comes off sounding kind of cutesy and pretty damn unbelieveable. The song is this exhausting piece of toxic immature melodrama that belongs on the worst teen dramas where nobody comes off sounding good here. I'm not buying this for a second...

11. "My Little Love' by Adele

So we begin our three song exploration of music from Adele's new album with a song dedicated to her son Angelo that actually gets to me a bit especially with Adele's emotional breakdown right roward the end of the song and the voice clips of her song asking her questions and her giving the best answers she can even if she doesn't know where life is taking her especially as her son is the only stability in her life post the divorce. 

Also let's dispel the controversy...accusations were made that Adele was exploiting her son for album sales which couldn't be further from the truth, if anything the song examines the impact that a divorce can have on a child and the child having the realization that life is going to be so different from what he is used to with his family still living in the same house. This is a good song.

10. "I Drink Wine" by Adele

This song was touted as the second single from "30" before the album was released and has been described as a 70s style Elton John/Bernie Taupin, a song about shedding ego and not taking everything so personally and needing to get over themselves, it's a pretty brutally honest piece of standing in front of the mirror and being brutally honest with herself and only then when she's reached that point of being able to not take things so personally that she can open herself to the possibility of love. Yeah another pretty good song. 

6. "Oh My God" by Adele

The final new entry of the week and the highest of the Adele album tracks that charted this week and probably the first track where she's feeling emotionally free after the divorce was made final, how she's having an internal conflict with regard to wanting to put herself first and take control of her life upon the realization that she's now single for the first time in awhile and is available for dating. Just wish the production felt a little more free as to a degree it does feel a little more claustrophobic than a song like this needs to be.

And that closes out a long week but best and worst fall out easily with the worst going to "abcdefu" by Gayle (a worst list contender if it makes the 2021 year end) for being toxic and exhausting in all the worst ways. Best of the week though goes to "My Little Love" by Adele and that's pretty obvious.

Next week, probably the first onslaught of Christmas music but we'll see what happens when the chart updates on Friday at 5pm AEDT

The Countrytown Country Music Top Twenty Ranked plus brief ARIA singles top 20 ranked.

 It's been awhile since I did a top twenty ranked at least for the ARIA singles chart but here's the one disadvantage of doing that sort of ranking format...you find yourself talking about the same songs every time you go to do the ranking and I do want to save my opinions on the hits of 2021 for year end best and worst lists (coming in January some time hopefully) but there will be a brief look at the state of the ARIA top 50 singles top 20 at the end of this.

However I did want to do a ranking and while I considered the top twenty of the Billboard Adult Alternative chart, I remembered a Aussie chart that website The Music Network hosts thanks to Radio Monitors called the "Countrytown Top 50" which ranks the top 50 most played country music songs which was ideal because I don't get the opportunity very often running a blog that is so ultra focussed on the ARIA singles chart to talk about a genre of music I do love like country music especially as country songs hitting the top 50 is so few and far between (especially on the good side of country but that's another story entirely).

The week I'll be covering is the week of 6th November, if you want to see the full list of not just the top twenty but the entire top 50 then the link is right here: Countrytown Top 50 (The Music Network)

You all know how this works...let's get this show on the road with...

Shit Tier

Geezus, I hoped I'd never have to discuss loathsome piece of shit song ever again but I guess by choosing this chart I did ask for this...

20. "Fancy Like" by Walker Hayes

Quite simply this song is an affront to country music...the younger brother of Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road" only somehow ten times WORSE. I said everything that needed to be said about this song when it debuted on the ARIA singles chart a few weeks ago and if it becomes a hit, I'll have more to say when it inevitably appears high up on the worst list. Fuck this trash.

Bad Tier

19. Country Outta My Girl" by Morgan Evans

So there's two Morgan Evans songs inside the top twenty and of the two...this one isn't good...it's this cliched country song but how you can take Morgan's girl anywhere but you can't take the country out of the girl and while I can appreciate the very country production here and Morgan selling the song with some enthusiasm, the lyrics are utterly cringe. 

18. "If I Didn't Love You" by Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood

What is it with artists I like making bad songs in 2021? I like Carrie Underwood but this song with Jason Aldean just has nothing to it, there's no dramatic stakes or anything that makes me want to engage with the song which is all the more telling with Jason Aldean's flat delivery and the lack of chemistry between Aldean and Carrie Underwood. This song could have worked if it was two people who still love each other but the relationship has hit breaking point but that isn't the case here especially when it feels like 2021's "Nobody But You" by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani. I get why people like it but's not an interesting song to say the least and Carrie did better on "Remind Me" with Brad Paisley.

17. "Cold Beer Calling My Name" by Jameson Rodgers feat. Luke Combs

Anyone else tired of songs about beer and the fact there's songs about inanimate objects like a can of cold beer calling their name. Seriously?. I like Luke Combs and there'll be more of him later on the list  but my god, this just feels like a song doing the standard bros in country music tropes...cold beer, pretty girls and having a good time...these sort of country songs almost need to be extraordinary in the production for me to care about them or even like them as most of these are so ridiculously formulaic, it's not worth it.

16. "Same Boat" by Zac Brown Band

So Zac Brown Band's newest album "The Comeback" is thankfully a return to form after the 2019 disaster that was "The Owl" but why on earth was this song chosen as the single from it when there is better on the album? The clunky production and generic lyrics about how we're all fishing in the same boat and pulling fish from the same hole...I get what the song is trying to do in terms of bringing people together in the midst of a divisive time in America's history but it doesn't get there.

15. "Wild Hearts' by Keith Urban

I was all set to put this in the good tier but I've since heard it a couple more times and yeah no the instrumentation doesn't cover how pathetically cliche and limp the lyrics of this song are. Maan, Keith Urban has gone backward as a writer since "Fuse". 

Meh Tier

14. "Waves" by Luke Bryan

Look, Luke Bryan has a really good voice but dear god the material he records and releases are some really either forgettable or just plain awful nonsense and "Waves" falls into the former category, I couldn't tell you anything about this song other than it's a thing on country radio for some reason.

13. "Justified" by Kacey Musgraves

I actually think this song is pretty good, it's in the meh tier here because I don't believe that this is functionally a country song therefore shouldn't be on a country airplay chart and god damn it...the next two songs here have the same issue...fuck...

12. "Kids on Cassette" by The Wolfe Brothers

So The Wolfe Brothers are the first act of several here that will require some explanation for those reading this in other parts of the world. The Wolfe Brothers are essentially a country rock band comprised of brothers Tom and Nick Wolfe along with childhood friends Brodie Rainbird and Casey Kostiuk with this song being the title track from their fifth studio album "Kids on Cassette" and much lke "Justified"...this doesn't belong on country radio because it's more a pop song with some country elements...that's it.

11. "Run Out of Road" by Melanie Dyer

Shame this sort of country pop from Aussie singer/songwriter Melanie Dyer leans way too far into pop and little less into country but otherwise it's objectively fine even if it doesn't belong on country radio.

Decent 

10. "God Took His Time On You" by Casey Barnes

So here's an Australian Idol alumni with the latest single and while "Come Turn Me On" is one of my favourite songs of 2021, "God Took His Time On You" is a slower ballad and it all sounds really nice instrumentally but I don't know I am not a huge fan of songs that invoke religious figures to talk about how hot a girl is, it's a bit cringey and definitely lowered the song to the decent tier. 

9. "Cold As You" by Luke Combs

It's solid for what it is but when Luke Combs has done better and has better coming to the charts with his new single "Doin' Time", I doubt I will come back to this all that often even if it does all the basics well. 

Good Tier

8. "23" by Sam Hunt

Yeah I know...I'm in shock myself, I still think "Southside" is a terrible album and one of the worst albums of 2020 but "23" is actually proof that Sam Hunt is capable of writing a decent song with "23' being a wistful memory of a relationship when both he and this woman were 23 but it won't matter what she does in her life or what he does in his but they can't take back the time they had together when they were both twenty three however he still wishes her well with whatever she does in her life.The song is pretty solid. I'll take it. 

7. "Love Is Real" by Morgan Evans

So this is the second Morgan Evans song to wind up here and you know...I can kind of get behind this one even if I do think the lyrics are a bit cliched...I mean really...we get it...love is a real thing but you know it's at least got a bit driving momentum and Morgan Evans sounds like he is trying his damn best to sell the song...yeah by Morgan Evans standards, this is fine.

6. "Composure" by Southbound

So we now have an Australian all female country rock trio comprising Missy Lancaster, Sara Bernardo and Andrea Krakovska, they've had at least one Australian country airplay number one with "This is Us" but honestly "Composure" is their statement single because yeah, this is pretty good, I like how the song while being obviously rock but still manages to have its country groove in the guitars, I also like how the trio harmonise here. This was soo close to the excellent category...just a few small production issues that knocked it back.

Great.

5. "Raised Like That" by James Johnston

So James Johnston is a new face in Australian country, he definitely seems to have a fan base too with both his singles doing well on the iTunes chart that I suspect a breakthrough on the ARIA top 50 singles chart might be in order if his label can get the streaming game right (he already has over 200,000 listeners a month on Spotify which is impressive for a new artist) and I do get why because "Raised Like That" is about growing up in the small NSW town of Wingham and reflecting on how he was raised to work hard and give back and is well aware that he probably wouldn't be making country music right now if he wasn't raised to have a work ethic and work hard which is something he is thankful for. I like how catchy the song is. Looking forward to an album from James sometime in 2022!

4. "One Mississippi" by Kane Brown

Kane Brown has frustrated me especially with his more bent toward kind of insipid pop country so when I first heard about this song, I was worried and turns out I shouldn't have been because yeah this is a song I have listened to A LOT in 2021 since it was released. It reminds me a lot of the sounds and tones that were on Randy Hzouser's 2019 album "Magnolia"  and that hook kind of cements that with the subject matter being two people meeting at a bar to catch up and maybe go home together or maybe not but either way it's fine, I like how much of this song is just an absolute blast to sing along too. Less pop, more country would be fine by me though, Kane!

3. "Whatchawanna" by Cornell and Carr

So here's a duo that's going to take some explanation, Matt Cornell and Mike Carr are members of fellow country singer Adam Brand's backing band...a group that has found plenty of award success in the Australian country scene so yeah I wasn't really surprised that this song as a duo turned out to be just that perfect Sunday afternoon at the pub sing a long, it's just a really fun song and the attitude of both Cornell and Car carries this. Its a unapologetically silly do whatever the hell you want country song that harks back to the good old days of the pub sing along

2. "My Boy" by Elvie Shane

Oh I wanted to talk about this song months ago and honestly writing about it now is a good reminder that I need to hear that Elvie Shane album that dropped a few weeks ago because "My Boy is genuinely one of the most heartfelt country songs of the year, Shane is talking about being a step dad to his partner's son and how while the boy may not be his child by blood, he is still his and he will still be a father figure to the boy, it's a subject that's not commonly brought up in music so it kind of sticks out in the memory a bit. Great song!

1. "Live A Little" by Cass Hopetoun

'And the number one is from an Australian singer/songwriter hailing from the Blue Mountains, Cass Hopetoun has been notching success in the Australian country scene for the last couple of years and collabed with fellow Australian country star Andrew Swift on "Say the Word" for his most recent album but "Live A Little" might be Cass Hopetoun's best song to date, it's a song that goes for the route of Hopetoun urging people to take risks, step outside their comfort zone and live life rather than sticking with the same old routine as they have always done and I love how the guitar sounds on this song. Please check this song out if you get the opportunity. 

So to sum up this season of country music, we've got one shit song, five bad songs, four meh songs, two decent songs, three good songs and five excellent songs for a score of 57 out of 100 which is not that bad but it could always be better.

Anyway before we go...as I promised a quick ranking of the current ARIA singles top 20 from November 7.

Shit.

No songs in this tier

Bad

20. "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals

19. "Stay" by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber

18. "Woman" by Doja Cat.

17. "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" by Elton John and Dua Lipa

16. "Beggin'" by Maneskin

Meh

15. "Meet Me At Our Spot" by The Anxiety.

14. "Love Nwantiti (ah ah ah)" by Ckay

13. "Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran

Decent. 

12. "Moth to a Flame" by Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd

11. "Shivers' by Ed Sheeran (Yeah, this song grew on me...)

Good.

10. "Ghost" by Justin Bieber

9. "My Universe" by Coldplay feat. BTS

8. "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat feat. SZA

Excellent

7. "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" by Lil Nas X

6. "Levitating" by Dua Lipa

5. "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow

4. "That's What I Want" by Lil Nas X

3. "Happier Than Ever" by Billie Eilish

2. "Easy On Me" by Adele

1. "Good 4 U" by Olivia Rodrigo.

Score: 64 out of 100. Pretty good!